Are you sedentary?

We live in a very fast paced competitive world. Many people are stuck at a desk for 8 or so hours per day. Others are stuck in a car for a majority of the day. Are you sedentary?

Lets start off with a description of a sedentary life: Somebody who is sedentary is a person who is involved in little or no regular physical activity. Majority of the day spent seated and inactive. Quite often, people who follow this type of lifestyle also have poor eating habits.

Why is sedentary bad? Being sedentary is the leading cause of osteoperosis, arthritis, depression, coronary heart disease, and it has been known (along with poor diet) to lead to certain cancers, Type II Diabetes, obesity, back and/or neck pain, elevated cholesterol and high blood pressure. So basically living a sedentary life is a quick path to an early grave, or many years of illness and unhappiness.

I understand that life it tough at times. There are many financial strains and time restrictions. How do you avoid a sedentary life? There are a few answers, and they may not fit for everybody, but a few tips that often help are;

-go for family walks at least 4 times a week
-join a team and get serious about that sport
-avoid elevators and moving stairs, climb the good old fashioned stairs
-park a few blocks away from work, or take the bus at a farther stop
-go to the park and play games like tag with your children
-if you are stuck in an office all day, eat your lunch and then enjoy a walk around the block with a few colleagues.

These are not the only ways, and perhaps not as great as trying to hit the gym or pool a few times a week, but it will help without a doubt. Do not forget that diet plays a HUGE roll as well.

If you are stuck being sedentary and know the risks and want to change, please feel free to ask me for tips. There is always a solution.

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